Ivana Trump has kept half of her fourth ex-husband Rossano Rubicondi’s ashes following his death, according to his parents, who revealed she cared for him while he was secretly ill.
Claudio and Rosa Rubicondi, opened up about their late son’s death on a recent appearance on the Italian talk show Pomeriggio Cinque, saying hardly anyone knew he was battling cancer until he was found dead in late October at age 49.
It has been widely reported that Rossano died of melanoma, but a translation of the television interview stated he had liver cancer and suffered a lung aneurysm in the bathtub. He was found the next morning.
‘He had liver cancer. He didn’t tell anyone except Ivana. She supported him until he died,’ host Barbara d’Urso said.
Mourning: Ivana Trump, 72, has kept half of fourth ex-husband Rossano Rubicondi’s ashes, according to the late actor’s parents
Candid: Claudio and Rosa Rubicondi opened up about their late son’s death and his bond with his ex-wife Ivana on the Italian talk show Pomeriggio Cinque
The Rubicondis admitted their son’s death was a complete shock because they weren’t aware he was severely ill.
‘He rarely called us and we didn’t know he had health issues,’ Claudio explained. ‘I’ve been told a vein broke in his lung and he fell in the bathtub. He was alone at home and stayed there for several hours.’
Ivana, 72, had an on-again, off-again relationship with Rossano following their brief marriage in 2008, but they shared a bond up until his death.
When the Czech socialite learned of her ex’s passing, she called his parents to offer her condolences. She also promised to send them his ashes after he was cremated.
‘She called us to express her sorrow and said she will send us Rossano’s ashes,’ Claudio said, while Rosa added: ‘Ivana asked if she could keep half the ashes. I said yes.’
Rossano’s death was announced on Twitter by Italian television presenter Simona Ventura on the evening of October 29.
Reports: Host Barbara d’Urso (left) said no one knew Rossano (center) had liver cancer except for Ivana, who ‘supported him until he died’
Connected: Ivana and Rossano (pictured walking near her apartment in New York City on July 23) had an on-again, off-again relationship following their brief marriage in 2008
‘Rossano…Thanks for the journey we made together, for the good times and the bad, and also the tears and laughter, so many, and everything that we did together. Farewell. RiP,’ she tweeted.
She later shared a video of her late friend on a beach with Ivana and captioned it: ‘This video, which I found from my personal archive, will always remain in my heart.’
Ivana has yet to comment on Rossano’s death.
The Italian actor had reportedly been suffering from health issues over the course of the past year and was diagnosed with melanoma, a form of skin cancer. It’s unclear if the cancer had spread. Other outlets reported he had liver cancer.
Ivana and Rossano dated for six years before they tied the knot in 2008 during a lavish $3 million ceremony at Mar-A-Lago, the Palm Beach estate owned by none other than Ivana’s second ex-husband, Donald Trump.
She was 59 at the time, while he was 36.
Gesture: The Rubicondis shared that Ivana (pictured with Rossano in March) called them personally after their son’s death
Reports: It has been widely reported that the actor died of melanoma. However, a translation of the television interview stated Rossano had liver cancer and suffered a lung aneurysm
The wedding was set to the theme of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Nights Dream and 400 guests attended, including her second husband. Ivanka’s only daughter, Ivanka, was her maid of honor.
But just eight months after their nuptials, Ivana and Rossano announced their upcoming divorce.
They reconnected a number of times over the years, and while they most recently broke up in 2019, that didn’t stop them from spending time together.
Rossano was Ivana’s fourth husband after Alfred Winklmayr, Donald — with whom she shares three children — and Riccardo Mazzucchelli.
Roberto Alessi, an Italian film director, recently revealed that friends of Rossano and Ivana thought they might get back together while he was battling melanoma.
‘Lately he got closer to Ivana Trump and many thought they also wanted to remarry,’ he told the Italian website Corriere della Sera.
Saying goodbye: Ivana was seen for the first time after Rossano’s death last Wednesday when she visited Frank Campbell Funeral Home on Manhattan’s Upper East Side
Support system: She was seen exiting a vehicle in an all-black outfit with assistance from an unidentified woman
Apple of her eye: The next day, she enjoyed lunch with her youngest son Eric, 37, at Altesi, her favorite Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side
He added: ‘I met him a year ago for dinner with friends. He had a band-aid on his hand. I know he faced heavy treatment.’
Ivana was seen for the first time after Rossano’s death last Wednesday when she visited Frank Campbell Funeral Home on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
She was bundled up in a weather-proof black coat with a fur neckline and a black winter hat with a lace bow as she got out of the vehicle with assistance from an unidentified woman.
The businesswoman looked downcast as she entered the funeral home around 3 p.m. that day. She was later seen leaving the service almost two hours later.
The next day, she enjoyed lunch with her youngest son Eric, 37, at Altesi, her favorite Italian restaurant on the Upper East Side.
Ivana appeared to be in better spirits as she walked arm-in-arm with her son, but she was still wearing all black while mourning Rossano’s death.